Where Lies the Loyalty
Garage - Combaticon Base - North America A slanting ramp leads down from a door that has been carefully concealed to blend in with the face of the mountains. The end of the ramp is marked with a long black and yellow rectangle in front of which stands a low ledge which runs around the perimeter of the garage wall. Beside the stopping point indicated on the floor but not within it stands a heavy duty Energon refueling unit which is connected by a thick cable which snakes across the floor into a socket in the wall. At the west wall stands a self contained analysis and repair device which can be used to repair any mechanical devices present in the garage. Contents: Onslaught Vortex's Torture Chamber Onslaught's armory Blast Off's Silo Vortex's Helicopter Platform Quonset Hut The Combaticon Commander is standing in the garage in all of his glory. Well, semi-glory. He's still broken and battered from the battle the other cycle, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. For once, well, one of his plans has finally come to fruition. He is reveling in this somewhat victory as he simply hangs about within the garage, fiddling with something or other on one of the nearby workbenches. It is nothing important but it helps him think to tinker with random things. The one brick of Pyramid Sand that he acquired is in a glass case nearby, waiting to be transported to Onslaught's Trophy Room. Blast Off walks into the Garage, heading for his Silo for a rare night's recharge at home. Lately he's been on Cybertron so often he doesn't even get to see the inside of his own personal recharge place. Which is, actually, quite comfortable and homey... not that he lets anyone in to see it, of course. He slows down when he takes note of his Commander. "Ah. I see you have... a memento?" He asks, nodding towards the brick of Pyramid Sand. "That was quite satisfying to watch the Autofools fumble about as they attempted to stop us. Though I must say I expected better of Sky Lynx. ...But perhaps he shall not be so smug next time he sees me." He stops and tilts his head. "I read your report. It is a good plan- as usual." "Sky Lynx is no match for my mind nor your skills. So it stands to reason that together we are simply too much for him." Onslaught looks up from the tinkering and offers a small and vile grin in the direction of Blast Off. "It is good that you are here. There is something I've been meaning to speak to you about." Onslaught pushes up from his semi-crouched position and to his full height. "Do not, and I will not say this again, do not undermine my call for a retreat ever again. While your ego may be your own downfall, I refuse to let it compromise the mission. I will scrap you myself if I have to." Blast Off stands, nodding slightly. "Indeed." He is just about to turn and head to his Silo for a welcome rest when Onslaught gives him a grin. ...It's not a good grin, either. The shuttleformer's brows furrow slightly as Onslaught then continues on, and he is well and properly indignant by the end. There's a huff from his ventilation systems as he looks up at his Commander. "But I... I had Sky Lynx ON THE RUN. You called a retreat just as I was about to claim victory!" He crosses his arms. "Plus... he was after Discord, and I was merely helping a fellow Decepticon!" Well, actually, Discord threatened Blast Off's collection of fine wines, and the shuttle hoped to gain some favor by helping the other Con out, but, hey... details, details.... Onslaught reaches up to pinch the bridge of his faceplate. "Blast Off. I know you are hindered by the same hinderance that the rest of us are, but you have got to be smarter than that." Onslaught speaks of the foolish programming that ruins all of his greatest plans. "You are and forever will be a Combaticon first, Decepticon second. Discord would turn on you faster than you could sulk. He does not care about you or your Enerwine. None of them do." Yes, Onslaught knows. It is his job to know. He listens to almost everything. "What you need to remember is that it is I, it is Swindle, it is Vortex and Brawl that will always have your best interests at spark." Onslaught rolls his optics. "Even when you are foolishly letting your ego get the better of you." Blast Off gives Onslaught a loooong, long look. He glances away, then the violet-gray optics return for another long gaze at Onslaught. And then, perhaps because he's tired, perhaps because he's safe in the Combaticon base, perhaps because he's saddled with enormous responsibilities as a CO that he's never had before, or perhaps because of the way Onslaught is speaking to him... he returns Onslaught's frank discussion with some of his own. Well, Ok, still laden with some ego, but... "Don't you think I know that? Don't you know what *pride* I take in being a Combaticon? Always HAVE? Of course I identify as Combaticon first.... the Decepticons have always been almost as much a thorn in our sides as the Autofools are. I just... get tired of always correcting those that apply the name to me. *I tried*. For quite awhile. But... in this war, most only recognize Autobot or Decepticon. And now..." He huffs very softly, then leans back and looks off towards his Silo. "I have many new responsibilities. As a Decepticon Commander of Aerospace. It has been..." He looks back at Onslaught, slightly frustrated. "...A challenge. Now, don't get me wrong, I can handle it, certainly!" He assures... himself, if no one else. "But... spending every day trying to juggle my pride and duties as a Combaticon and my responsibilities as CO of Aerospace... is... sometimes...difficult." "Autobot or Decepticon. Autobot or Decepticon. These are the two sides of the war, you are correct. However, do you think the Decepticons would even still be in this war if it weren't for us? If it weren't for the Combaticons?!" Onslaught turns to look off into the garage, attempting to give Blast Off a moment to think through those things. "We are the equalizers of this war. We are the reason that the Decepticons are even capable of standing against the Autobot forces. Without us? Without Bruticus? They would still be flailing about blindly." Onslaught smirks at that thought. "You are correct, though. You have many new responsibilities. But those responsibilities come second to your Loyalties. Do not let your 'status' within a group that would scrap you and leave you to rust or junk you or turn you over to the Autobots if it suited their needs, go to your head." Onslaught attempts to work his psychological expertise over Blast Off. "Besides. Once I claim Earth for myself, who do you think I'm going to give the skies to?" Onslaught immediately scoffs again, "CO of Aerospace." As if that is more important than what Onslaught has in store for Blast Off. Blast Off listens and nods occasionally. "True." He finally leans against a wall, in a contemplative mood. "The Decepticons would have lost without us... several times recently that I can think of personally. And *both sides* fear us enough to even work together *against* just the five of us, if they feel they need to." He shakes his head at the memory. He then straightens and gives his Commander a deadly serious look. "But never wonder about where my loyalty lies. You know I don't particularly like authority figures. I never have. *I* like to choose my actions and destiny. And yet I chose to work for you. That should tell you everything you need to know about my true loyalties. The Decepticons? Without ...well, *this* stuck in my head"... his optics simmer with resentment as he points up to his head, indicating the Loyalty Program, "...Who knows. I would certainly never be an Autofool. I would probably only be a Decepticon if *you* chose to remain one. Otherwise, I would simply return to space. Or whatever work the Combaticons chose to do. Together." Relaxing a bit, he looks around at the base and sighs. "You are welcome to the Earth, and... I would take the skies, and rule far better than any other aerial commander would... but... someday, truly... I hope we can leave this Primus-forsaken Mudball entirely." Onslaught grins. It happens to be that signature grin that he gets whenever he decides that he wants to have a plan that just might be the best plan of his career. Which, to Onslaught, is always his next plan. He looks back towards what he was tinkering with and knocks it off the workbench and down to the floor where it smashes readily. Obviously, it was not important to Onslaught. He picks up his glass case and peers at the Pyramid brick on the inside of it, before turning to walk past Blast Off. He pauses for just a moment, reaching out with his one free hand and plants it on the sharpshooter's shoulder. "Be careful what you wish for, Blast Off." And it is with that ominous statement and a mischievous twinkle in his optic that Onslaught continues on towards the Planning Room. Time to get to work. Blast Off looks on with a little surprise as Onslaught suddenly knocks things off his workbench and shifts gears to yet another plan. But... he's always got plans, and Blast Off is used to that by now. When his Commander pats him on the shoulder and gives him an ambiguous message, Blast Off just blinks up at him in some confusion and watches Onslaught walk off. But Onslaught seems to like keeping the shuttle wondering what the heck he's up to, and yes... Blast Off is used to that by now, as well. "...Noted." Not understood, but... noted. The shuttleformer turns and heads to his Silo. There's a bottle of '15 Enerwine from the OrionThree orchards in there, with his name on it. Discord isn't getting that one...